Bellator FCBellator MMA (Bellator) is the 2nd largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the USA and the largest tournament-based MMA organization in the world. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, the company was formed in 2008 by Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. Bellator’s events are primarily structured around tournaments. The tournament winner is declared the number one contender in their respective weight class, and is awarded a check for $100,000 and a shot at the reigning Bellator champion. Bellator uses the motto “The Toughest Tournament In Sports” Bellator FC now airs on Spike TV Thursday nights!

The night's main card, including Alavarez vs. Freire, airs on MTV2 (and in high-definition on EPIX) following prelims on Spike.com.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) passed along news of Alvarez's participation in the event this past week, though his opponent wasn't known at the time.

Alvarez, who lost his belt to Michael Chandler back in November, got back in the win column with a quick TKO of Shinya Aoki at Bellator 66 earlier this year. The Philadelphia-based fighter is 8-1 over his past nine fights, though his upcoming bout is the final one on his Bellator contract. Although the organization has the right to match any offer, UFC officials haven't hid their interest in acquiring the veteran lightweight and could big heavily.

Of course, a loss to Freire would significantly lessen Alvarez's value. However, the hard-hitting Brazilian (whose brother, Patricio Freire, fights for Bellator as a featherweight) is legit threat, though he's just 1-2 in his past three fights. The losses came to Chandler (in a tournament finale) and Lloyd Woodard (in a tourney's opening round earlier this year), though he scored a TKO win over UFC vet Kurt Pellegrino between the two defeats.